GRANTHAM, Pa.– Senior righthander
Mickey Foytik allowed only one run in eight innings, and the Eastern bats did just enough to save a split with a 2-1 win in the nightcap of a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader at Messiah University.
Shane Albertson picked up the save. The Eagles dropped the seven-inning opener by a 5-1 score.
The host Falcons did their only damage against Foytik with two extra-base hits in the top of the second. Foytik got some help in the early going as
Mark Cruser threw out a would-be base-stealer int he first and
Shane Albertson turned a double-play to end a Messiah rally in the third.
The Eagles had golden opportunities to score in the fourth and the sixth.
Liam Clarke singled to start both innings.
Matt McHale was hit by a pitch in the fourth, but the duo could advance only one base as the next three hitters were retired.
McHale followed the Clarke single in the sixth with a single of his own.
Joseph Poma pinch hit to to bunt the runners over, but the senior outfielder dropped the bunt in a perfect spot and the bases were loaded. Messiah brought on a tough left-handed reliever to strike out
Brad Clemens, and then brought in a right-hander to get out of the jam with an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
the Eagles started the seventh against a new pitcher with a pair of walks. The runners advanced into scoring position on a ground out, and Albertson knocked int he first run with an infield single. Cruser was going on contact and came home when Clarke hit a ground ball to the mound. Clarke beat out the relay as the Falcons tried to turn two.
The rest of the game was Foytik's guts on the hill. He struck out two in the bottom of the sevent and worked around a two-out error in the eighth with a pop-up to Clemens behind the third base bag.
When the Messiah lead-off hitter reached in the ninth, Head Coach
Scott Renauro lifted his stater for Albertson, a fellow super-senior. After playing fifteen innings in the infield, Albertson had enough to strike out the first two hitters he faced and to work around a two-out walk and a passed ball to collect the save.
Sean Cottrell kept the Eagles in the game early in the opener, but a bases-clearing double in the fifth gave the Falcons a 5-1 lead that they would not relinquish. Eastern had just five hits and only one extra-base hit in the opener.
"We got the starts we needed from Cottrell and Foytik, " Reauro said after the game. "Unfortunately, I left Sean in one batter too long in the first game. They pounded the zone and gave us quality starts.
Dylan Hanni and Albertson both came in and shut the door. We delivered quality pitching, but we will have to get after it at the plate tomorrow. We will have to find more barrels to come away with wins tomorrow. Conner Schilling worked all week and showed up prepared today. He made good adjustments and put good swings on balls all day."
The Eagles (3-11, 2-6 MAC Commonwealth) will host the Falcons for two tomorrow at The Yard. The doubleheader starts at 1:00 pm.
